The Better Part of Me
by Great White Snake
Summary: Nakai Sekatha, a Vulcan-Romulan hyrbrid. Out of time. Out of the ordinary. Waking up in the year 2254 after a 93 year hibernation inside a cryo-tube, Christopher Pike finds her stranded in the middle of space. Nakai has to learn how to live again nearly a century later with new people and new... emotions.
1. Chapter 1

The pain seared across her back, white hot and constant, and barely bearable, as Tarral, her father, burned her ceremonial tattoo onto her scarred, pale skin. Nakai was skin and bones, nearly fed and never taken care of. Slaves didn't deserve that kind of treatment, especially not on one of Romulus' mining colonies. She was only receiving this tattoo because her father was one of the Romulans ordering the slaves around. It definitely wasn't because of her Vulcan mother who, like her, was a mining slave. No need to ask how Nakai was conceived. Everyone knew. It even sparked pride amongst certain Romulans.

Nakai felt the pain subside, but she was immediately thrown to her feet. She couldn't stand. Her knees buckled and fell, scraping the palms of her hands onto the rocky floor. She heard a growl behind her and a few seconds later someone grabbed her by the hair and violently pulled her up. The smell of Romulan Ale reached Nakai's nose.

"Welcome to the family, Nakai," her father hissed in her ear, in his native Romulan dialect. "Now, go join your bitch mother."

Tarral shoved his daughter forward so that she fell a few feet away. Her entire body hit the floor and rolled down a short, rocky hill. Nakai ignored the dark laughter coming from the Romulans behind her and rose, observing fresh scratches on her body, and began to walk bag to her mother, T'sor, who was most likely in the same spot she left her. Small, loose stones littered the floor causing Nakai to trip as she went along. After seventeen years in this darkness, she didn't need a torch in front of her to see the entrance back into one of the mining shafts. Instead, she remembered the path by touch, as she had followed the damp wall with the tip of her fingers, without a care as to the state of her nails, for the first few years of her life. All of a sudden, flaming torches sparked to life, lighting up the tunnel ahead and bathing the entire cavern in a flickering orange glow. The sounds of drills and hammers filled her ears, with the occasional crack or zap of a laser weapon on the back of a slave.

T'sor was once a beautiful Vulcan. Her long, matted black hair was once smooth and coiffed. Her dark chocolate eyes once held sparkle. Her frail body was once her temple. But now, after over twenty years of slavery, T'sor, Nakai's mother, was barely more than a shell. As her daughter approached, she stood and extended her arms, turning her daughter around to see the fresh tattoo that covered her back. She sighed.

"They allowed you to chose it," T'sor said in her Vulcan tongue, letting out the breath she'd been holding. "I am relieved."

"They allowed me to chose it, yes, but that is all the courtesy they extended me, mother," Nakai replied in the same tongue.

"Get back to work!" a Romulan spat at them.

T'sor looked around her and detached a chain from her neck and clasped it on her daughter's. Nakai looked at her and frowned.

"There is a shuttle that no one guards towards the east, go there and leave."

"Mother? What are you talking about?"

"You need to leave, Nakai. You are old enough, and I have taught you how to fly. There is nothing keeping you here!"

"I said get back to work!"

The Romulan came over and smashed T'sor over the head, sending her to her knees.

"Run, Nakai!"

"I love you, mother!"

Nakai bolted. Her feet slipped outwards on the wet stone as she rounded a corner, the damp air shocking her throat and lungs as she inhaled deeper, faster. With each footfall, she got faster, her Romulan and Vulcan genetics working full speed. With each footfall a jarring pain shot throughout her body. Her heart beat frantically. As she neared the shuttle, she came across a small Romulan work station from which she stole a long coat and a disruptor. A few meters later a Romulan jumped out at her, but she aimed the disruptor at her and jumped over his limp body. Nakai swung on the coat she'd stolen as she reached the shuttle bay. She pressed the entry button on its exterior and the door lifted, allowing her to enter and lock the door behind her. She ran to the helm of the shuttle and crashed onto the captain's seat. Her fingers flew to the command board and she began typing in the correct sequencing. Suddenly, the small Bird-of-Prey sprung to life and Nakai took off.

Her heartbeat slowed dramatically. She was finally gone. She was finally free from the torment. Finally free of her poor excuse of a father. But her mother- Suddenly, a proximity alarm went off. Ahead was a large explorer ship with a saucer-shaped helm was approaching. Nakai immediately swerved towards a different control panel and let out a distress signal since she couldn't remember how to hail a ship through all her fear. It took a few moments, but finally, a foreign face presented itself on her viewing screen. He was Human and at least in his mid-thirties, with greying brown hair and soft green eyes. Upon seeing Nakai, his expression changed from curiosity to worry.

"My name is Jonathan Archer, captain of the Federation Starship Enterprise," the man said in English. Nakai's years of listening to the slaves' dialects in the colony had been useful. "We received your distress call."

"I am Nakai Sekatha," she introduced herself in English but with a strong accent. "My mother has just facilitated my escape from a Romulan slave camp. I fear that they will come for me." Tears began falling from her eyes, confusing the crew. Vulcans never showed emotion. "Please, I am in dire need of your assistance."

"If you are willing, there is a space for you aboard my ship."

Nakai graciously accepted and boarded the ship quite rapidly, leaving the Romulan Bird-of-Prey behind and climbing aboard the Starship Enterprise. She was lead to the bridge where Archer's crew was working quite harmoniously. Seeing everyone in their uniforms made Nakai feel surprisingly under dressed, even naked. Her skin was covered in dirt and dust, her clothing was ripped and her hair was matted, drenched in dust and sweat. Everyone else was clean-cut and proper; Nakai looked down to the ground.

"I apologize for my appearance, but I- "

"There's no need to apologize. What happened to you is not your fault," Archer said. "Here. Let me introduce you to my main crew. This is First officer, Commander T'Pol," he gestured to a pale-haired Vulcan who remained stoic;

"Commander Charles Tucker III, my chief engineer," he gestured to a man of the same age but with pale brown hair who nodded to her, his mouth full of food;

"Lieutenant Malcom Reed, my chief armory officer - don't mind him," he added as Reed ignored his introduction;

"My helmsman, Travis Mayweather," he pointed to a dark-skinned man who smiled brightly at her;

"Hoshi Sato, my communications officer," he gestured to an Asian woman who curtly bowed to Nakai;

"And last, but certainly not least, Doctor Phlox, my chief medical officer," the Denobulan man smiled and extended his hand.

"I am so very pleased that you managed to get out," he said, shaking Nakai's trembling hand. "Here, come, let's get you to sick bay."

"Thank you."

And so, Nakai spent the next few months aboard the Starship Enterprise while it changed it's course back to Earth. During that time, she had gotten particularly close to Captain Archer and Lieutenant Reed, whom of which she spent most of her time with. He taught her how to speak English better, and she even began to lose her accent. Reed also taught her about weapons, walked her through tactical scenarios, taught her about onboard security. Archer said that moments with Nakai were the moments he most spent talking. Reed was also the one who convinced Nakai to join Starfleet and she was later assigned as a security officer under Reed's supervision. The crew of the Enterprise was the closest thing she had to family. But she never told them about her true heritage. Most assumed incorrectly that she was a Human-Vulcan hybrid and simply acted more Human.

Nakai received two medals of honour for her work on Romulans, from the Vulcan High Council, as well as for her feats in the Earth-Romulan war which every other member of the Enterprise received upon the end of the war in 2159. That same year, due too her accomplishments and her tragic past, Nakai was awarded her own Starship, the U.S.S. Hamilton, making her the youngest captain in the history of Starfleet. She captained the Hamilton for two years until, due to the tensions between Klingons and the Federation, Nakai was taken as an example.

The Hamilton was decimated. A pillar of smoke and dust, still boiling up from where the photon torpedoes had gone off, was filling the air. A series of new flashes broke out, lifting and spreading the incandescent radioactive gasses, and then a great gush of flame rose. A column of pure hydrogen must have rushed up into the vacuum created by the explosion; the next blast of flame came and great rags of fire, changing from red to violet and back through the spectrum to red again, went soaring away to dissipate into space. It was a miracle that Nakai managed to save her crew. She alone manned the U.S.S. Hamilton while her crew escaped on shuttles. She had accepted it. Death. She didn't want to die, but if it meant saving her crew, she'd do anything. But then something changed. Nakai spotted her mother's pendant dangling from her neck and she knew. She knew that she couldn't die after her mother had sacrificed so much for her.

Nakai ran to the commands and initiated the self-destruct sequence. She had one minute to escape. Running as fast as her Vulcan-Romulan legs would take her, she sprinted to the docking stations which were mostly destroyed but was unable to find a shuttle for herself. Thinking quickly, she ran straight to Med Bay with twenty seconds left to the countdown. She ravaged the storage compartment and found what she was looking for. Using some knowledge acquired by Dr. Phlox in the past, Nakai opened and activated a cryo-tube in which she hoped she'd be safe until the time being. She lowered herself into the tube as she heard the final seconds fly away. Ten... Nine... Eight... Nakai engaged the cryo-tube and lied down. Seven... Six... Five... She took a deep breath to calm herself and returned her breathing to normal. Four... Three... Two... Everything faded to black.


	2. Chapter 2

Feeling slowly returned to Nakai's body. Everything was still black. Throughout the inky space her heartbeat began to accelerate, echoing in her ears. Her consciousness was floating through an empty space filled with a thick static. From the carousel of random ideas came some order - a subtle awareness of who she was under the flow of thoughts with their loose connections to her walking life. After a few moments more Nakai began to analyze them in a lazy way, perhaps these ideas were meant to be kept. Some were composed as if from a book she once read, other simply silly. In another moment they were gone, leaving no trace. Nakai's eyelids flickered opened to the brightly lit room. He eyesight blurred and she couldn't see anything at all. Just white. As her vision became clearer, she could discern forms hovering above her. And soon, sounds filled her ears. Talking, beeping, air flowing, breathing.

The medical room Nakai was large and bright which indicated she wasn't back on the Enterprise, but at least in a different ship or maybe a different planet. There were dozens of blue screens all around the room, and everything else was either while or a pale silver colour. Wherever she was, the technology was far more advanced than what she was used to. There weren't any strange animals running around unlike it was with Dr. Phlox, which meant he was definitely not here. That notion worried her. Had they not been able to reach her? Was the Enterprise in danger?

Nakai tried to sit up, but instantly there was a loud beeping noise and hands gently pushed her back down. She looked at both figures and they slowly came into focus. The first had bright blue eyes and greying brown hair, you could see the concern and curiosity in his eyes and face. He was Human unlike his Vulcan counterpart who, instead of wearing a mustard yellow uniform shirt, donned a peacock blue one. His hair was straight and black, his eyes equally as dark. He seemed to regard her in a certain form of fascination.

"Who are you?" Nakai asked in a near perfect English.

"She speaks English," the Human said, almost chuckling with relief, "that'll be easier for me - Captain Christopher Pike of the Starship Hamilton and this is my first officer, commander Spock."

"Hamilton? That's my ship - it wasn't destroyed?"

Pike looked at Spock who had merely raised an eyebrow, all the emotion she expected to get out of a Vulcan.

"This is the U.S.S. Hamilton, registry NCC-1603, not NX-25," the Vulcan said.

"NCC-1203? That kind of development can only happen in -"

"93 years to be exact."

One time when Nakai was sitting on top of a mining appliance, waiting motionless for the Romulans searching for her to leave, she dozed off and fell ten feet to the ground, landing on her back. It was as if the impact had knocked every wisp of air from her lungs, and she lay there struggling to inhale, to exhale, to do anything. That was how Nakai felt now, and the beeping machines told Pike and Spock the same. She was trying to remember how to breathe, unable to speak, totally stunned as the information bounced around her skull. She was as white as chalk. Her pale blue eyes and her mouth were frozen open in an expression of shock, confusion and fear, and although she was staring straight at Pike and Spock she appeared not to notice them at all.

"Where did you find my cryostasis tube?" Nakai finally asked, voice shaky and gaze still unfixed.

"In the Beta Quadrant," Pike said. "You were well on your way to Qo'noS when we picked you up."

A sudden surge of anger made Nakai's vitals spike.

"You know of Qo'noS?" Pike asked.

"Of course I know it," she spat, sitting up. "They are the ones responsible for all of this."

"I have a theory," Spock announced. "Am I correct to assume that you are Nakai Sekatha, former captain of the U.S.S Hamilton?"

"You've got yourself a pretty quick Vulcan, Captain Pike."

"Well, he did write one of his dissertations on you," the Human admitted. "May I ask you something?"

"Have at it."

"I had heard that you were... expressive. But Spock is Half-Human as well and doesn't act the way you do. Why is that?"

It surprised her to heard that Spock was a hybrid as well. Her mother had no choice, but what had prompted a Vulcan to marry a human... willingly?

"I was born on a Romulan slave camp and spent the better part of my life surrounded by Humans. Do you really expect me to behave like a Vulcan?" Pike shook his head, a little ashamed of asking that. "And I assume the Commander was raised on Vulcan, where he had all the teachings of Surak?"

"Except for the science academy, yes, which I turned down for Starfleet," Spock said.

"See, that's the Human part of you that did that."

Nakai looked down at herself. She was still wearing her apparently old Command uniform issued 91 years prior to today. it reminded her of the uniform she used to wear on the old Enterprise. She glanced back at the two men standing before her; my had everything changed. Nakai was tempted to ask whether there were any surviving crew members of the original ship, but after 93 years she figured the only potential survivor would be T'Pol and those two never really got along.

Suddenly, a male voice spoke on the intercom. It asked that Captain Pike return to the bridge.

"If you're up for a little walk, captain," he said to Nakai, earning him a small smile, "I'm sure Spock would show you around."

"Of course, Captain," Spock said.

Pike left and Nakai swung her legs over the side of the bed. She stood, a little wobbly at first, but managed to stay up. The two walked calmly side by side, their hands together behind their backs, both observing everything quietly. Vulcans had a way of staring that pierced the soul, going through all the lies, the secrets and memories. They way they looked at someone was very observant, as if they were studying every single bit of them, until they had a picture of them wherever they went. Vulcans had a photographic memory, never forgetting a single thing. But today, when Nakai walked past, everyone else stared at her that way today. Seeing one Vulcan on a Human ship was odd enough, but two? Everyone had learned to respect Spock, as he had earned it, but since Nakai was new, it seemed that it was permitted to make her uncomfortable with their prying eyes.

"Why is everyone staring?" she asked.

"I do not know," Spock said. "Perhaps some recognize you. It is my assumption, however, that they simply aren't used to seeing more than one Vulcan at a time aboard this ship."

"Maybe," Nakai sighed.

"Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"Very much."

Spock silently lead Nakai into a different hallway of the brightly lit ship and they entered what looked like a recreation room.

"The recreation room is usually empty at this hour, except for the bartender."

"Bartender? This really is a Human, ship," Nakai chuckled. She turned to Spock. "Thank you."

"For what, exactly?" he asked.

"Oh, you know what."

Nakai looked back up and spotted the large window looking out into space. The darkness of space would never escape her memory. The twisted, warped shapes that the stardust made against the pitch black curtain was beautiful, almost like a painting or a picture. The milky speckles that were stars twirled and dance along the cosmos in a various patterns, tracing constellations, tugging at the corner of Nakai's lips in a way that made her smile. It was hard to to push aside all the worries and fear corrupting her mind, but eventually she sighed, content, no longer thinking.

"Will you return?"

"Hm, what?" Nakai mumbled coming out of her daze.

"Will you return to Starfleet?" Spock said.

"I don't think they'd want me again."

"Before your disappearance, you'd earned two commendations and one of them was from the Vulcan Science Academy, correct?"

"Yes."

"Since your disappearance, because you saved nearly your entire crew, you have earned five other commendations, including the Star Cross which declares you a war hero," Spock said, much to Nakai's surprise. "Therefore, it is safe to assume that Starfleet will not only wish to recruit you again, but also hold a ceremony in your honor during which they will most likely give you all your awards that you have rightly earned." Spock was quiet for a few seconds, but spoke up again, "I also do not see the logic in letting an admirable member of Starfleet leave when they could do much more."

"You just want to be the one who gets me back into Starfleet, don't you?" Nakai joked.

"That is selfish, therefore illogical."

Nakai let out a breathy laugh just before the same male voice that called Pike, called Spock back to the bridge. Nakai followed the Vulcan up to the main deck where the bridge was located. Upon exiting the turbo lift, Nakai was presented with the place she used to command in. From here, the commanding officer supervised the entire starship's operation from the command chair, located behind the helm and navigation consoles, and was flanked on all sides by stations controlling the vessel's primary functions. A large window augmented with computer displays served as a viewscreen, located at the forefront of the bridge. Piloting and navigation functions were carried out at the helm console, located in the center of the bridge, by men wearing the same mustard yellow shirts as Pike. This console consisted of three main sections – navigation and ops stations and primary tactical control, whose controller was the sole person at that station wearing a red jersey. Behind and flanking the captain's chair were two forward-facing workstations for a science officer, and a communications officer, where another red-shirt sat, supplemented by free-standing data screens. Numerous other stations occupied the walls of the bridge as well, generally populated by engineering division crew members to starboard and science division personnel to port.

"First officer on the bridge," a voice called as Spock entered. Nakai stayed next to the door, but Pike called her over.

"May I have your attention, everyone?" he said, and all motion stopped. "This is Captain Nakai Sekatha of the former U.S.S Hamilton, registry NX-25." Whispering began. "Now, in light of her discovery, Starfleet has ordered us to return to Earth. And while she may be out of time, she is still a Captain - treat her with the respect of one. Understood?"

There was a collective "Aye, Captain!" and Pike laid in a course for Earth and they immediately departed at a warp-factor she was not familiar with. It was even faster, the electric blue contrails left by the ship brighter than the NX-25 version. She looked around at all the touch screens, decoding what they did and how they worked. Her brain was working at warp speed, absorbing all the information she possibly could. It was like learning everything again and the Vulcan inside her loved it.

* * *

Due to the distance from Earth at which they were, and the speed at which they were going, it took no more than two days to reach Earth. Nakai woke up that morning and exited her temporary living quarters wearing a new Command uniform. Spock had waited outside her quarters to walk her to the bridge again, either out of courteousness or because he was given the order. Upon entering the bridge, Nakai went straight to the Captain's chair and stood beside Pike. She spent the entire day there again, learning how everything worked. At some point however, she left the captain's side and wandered towards the tactical position at the helm. She had graciously accepted to be Captain, but her true calling lied with directly protecting the ship and its crew, as well as defending it. Maybe that was more of the Romulan side of her, entertained by weaponry and tactical decisions to make.

Suddenly, the Captain ordered the helmsman to resume normal speed and get out of warp. When the ship slowed with a small jolt, Nakai's gaze raised itself towards the viewing screen. Earth was just as bright as she remembered, the space-dock was much larger and more sophisticated than the last one she had been in. Just before they connected the ship to the docking station, an incoming message was displayed on the screen. He was older than anyone on the ship and his grey hair matched his grey uniform.

"May I speak directly to Captain Nakai Sekatha, please?"

Nakai rose and stood straight, looking suddenly more distinguished than the other Vulcan in the room.

"I am Nakai Sekatha," she said simply.

"My name is Admiral Alexander Marcus, and I'm the head of Starfleet. I cannot express how much of an honor it is to meet you, Captain. I'm sure either Commander Spock or Captain Pike have told you that you are a war hero to Starfleet."

"Commander Spock has informed me, yes, and I am quite flattered. But it isn't necessary, I was simply doing what any captain would do."

"Vulcans... Always so humble," he chuckled, though Nakai sensed an underlying annoyance. "Captain, in your honor, I have organised a ceremony for your receiving of the medals you hadn't been there to accept at the time. And I hope, and I'm sure that I'm not the only one, that you will return to Starfleet once again."

"A wise person once told me that it wouldn't be logical to leave Starfleet altogether, sir."

And Nakai turn around to smirk at Spock, who nodded respectfully in her direction.


	3. Chapter 3

"You're a professor? How old are you exactly?"

"I am 28 years of age."

"How the hell are you a professor!?"

Spock and Nakai had many long conversations in which they shared most of their knowledge and life experience, during their tour of the United States to recruit new cadets to Starfleet Academy. They had been everywhere from Washington to Florida and their last stop was in Iowa where their new ship was being constructed. Nakai stared at it in wonder as the transport was bringing them to the base at Riverside shipyard. It was quite similar to the Hamilton in appearance, but the size differed greatly. The saucer of The Starship Enterprise was immense. It was bigger than the Hamilton even though they of the same class of vessel. The Constitution-class cruiser was outfitted with a single twin-exhaust impulse drive unit mounted at the back of the saucer section where the primary and engineering hulls joined. It was also fitted with numerous ventral thrusters which, from what Nakai had read, could operate in space, in a planetary atmosphere and - if required - within a planet's ocean.

Most of the senior staff and new recruits were leaving to a nearby dive-bar to enjoy their evening as the last shuttle for new recruits was leaving tomorrow morning. Tomorrow was the last day before everyone was to go to San Francisco to join Starfleet Academy. However, Spock and Nakai were taking their time, walking slowly around the base.

"I have completed the necessary training in a smaller amount of time as the rest of the cadets," Spock said simply. "And why is it that you have re-joined Starfleet as a cadet? Did you not want to return to a command position?"

"Not at all," Nakai chuckled. "I don't think I can stomach being responsible for that many people's lives. No, I'm going back to what I started as."

"You are seeking to join security and tactical command?"

"Indeed I am."

Spock seemed to contemplate this for a few moments, then nodded slowly.

"I think you will be quite suited for that position."

"Thank you, Spock," Nakai smiled, then glanced over to the edge of the base. "Well, that's my queue to leave."

"You are still intent on participating in this activity?" Spock asked, sounding nearly disgusted.

"I haven't been to a dive-bar in nearly one hundred years, Spock, I think I'm entitled. Besides, maybe I'll get into my first bar fight," Nakai laughed. "I'll see you later, Spock."

"Enjoy your evening, and I suggest you do not "get into" a fight."

"You're such a party pooper."

* * *

Nakai's stolen trench coat billowed behind her as she strode into the busy bar, confidently pushing open the double doors. Pictures lined the white walls, music was blasting in Nakai's sensitive ears and people were chatting loudly as Nakai walked around. The entire place was drowned in a dimmed reddish light and it smelled of various kinds of alcohol that she hadn't smelled in nearly a century. There was a stage with dancers in the back, illuminated by blue and green beams of light, and just beside it was the bar. Nakai sat between a young man and an Andorian.

"What can I get ya little lady?" the bartender said.

"I'll start with a shot of Andorian ale."

"And after?"

"I'll get a maritini... Klingon style. That's if you've got Bloodwine."

"No Bloodwine? What kind of bartender do you think I am," the man laughed. "I'll get your drinks."

"Thank you."

"Since when do Vulcans let loose like this?"

The young man beside her had spoken. She turned towards him, face expressionless and eyebrow raised. Pike would she was channeling Spock. A shot glass filled with a bright blue liquid arrived in front of Nakai and she knocked it back before she replied to the young man. He had eyes as blue as hers but they were glossed over; he had had too much to drink.

"Since I decided I wanted to," she said, deadpan. The bartender place a reddish drink in front of her and she sipped on it. It was strong. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"Oh, there are a lot of things I could do about it," he said, flirty.

Nakai let out a snort of laughter and finished her drink, confusing the man.

"You're laughing? A Vulcan is laughing at me. Am I really that drunk?"

"To be fair, I'm not completely Vulcan. I also didn't grow up on their planet," Nakai admitted to the confused man.

"Wait, are you- "

"That really old Captain they found near Klingon space? Yeah, that's me. Nakai Sekatha, pleasure to meet your drunken self."

"Jim Kirk, its an honor." That name sounded familiar to Nakai. "Now, why are you wearing a cadet uniform?" Kirk asked. "You aren't going back to Starfleet as a Captain?"

"Definitely not. No, I'm going back to my roots; decided that Security and Tactical was better for me," Nakai said. "I'm also taking Xenobiology - gotta know where to shoot and what's immune or extra sensitive to phasers, you know."

"A Vulcan that laughs and prefers phasers to peace treaties... This is a weird day."

Just then, Kirk was distracted by a voice ordering various drinks. It was a woman Nakai had seen before, especially around Spock. Cadet Uhura was dignified and beautiful, smiling warmly at the bartender. There was no way in hell Jim Kirk wasn't going to bounce on this occasion.

"That's a lot of drinks for one woman," Kirk said, poking his head around Nakai.

She barely glanced at him and turned back to the bartender.

"And a shot of Jack straight up," she added.

"Make that two. Her shot's on me," Kirk said.

"Her shot's on her. Thanks but no thanks." Uhura glanced down. "Captain Sekatha," she said almost disdainfully.

"I am a cadet, there is no need to call me, Captain," Nakai said, deadpan and Vulcan-like, ordering another Bloodwine martini. "Unless you have the need to express your inferiority to me on a regular basis, that is."

Uhura glared at her, but Kirk spoke again and got her attention.

"Don't you want to at least know my name before you completely reject me?"

"I'm fine without it."

"You are fine without it. It's Jim. Jim Kirk," he said. "If you don't tell me your name, I'm going to have to make one up for you."

"It's Uhura," she said.

"Uhura? No way! That's the name I was gonna make up for you."

Nakai snorted and sipped her drink. Kirk kicked her underneath the table.

"Uhura what?"

"Just Uhura," she said, getting annoyed.

"What they don't have last names in your world?"

"Uhura is my last name."

"Well, they don't have first names in your world?" Kirk glanced at Nakai. "Excuse me."

Nakai sighed and smiled to herself as Kirk walked over to Uhura's other side so that he was facing both women.

"So, you're a cadet, you're studying. What's your focus?" he asked Uhura.

"Xenolinguistics. You have no idea what that means," she replied.

"The study of alien languages. Phonology, morphology, syntax. It means you've got a talented tongue."

Uhura smiled a little.

"I'm impressed. For a moment there I thought you were just some dumb hick who only has sex with farm animals," she said.

It was Nakai's turn to smile a little.

"Well, not only."

Uhura laughed and Kirk smiled, winking at Nakai who rolled her eyes at him. Just then, four burly cadets appeared behind Kirk. He spoke to Uhura.

"This townie isn't bothering you, is he?" he said.

"Beyond belief. But it's nothing I can't handle."

"You could handle me." Kirk said. "That's an invitation."

"Hey, you better mind your manners," the cadet said.

Nakai sighed. At least she hadn't promised Spock she wouldn't get involved in a bar fight, because it looked like it was going in that direction. The Vulcan hybrid knocked back the last of her drink in preparation to jump in if necessary. Maybe she'd be able to stop them. That was if they recognised her as the long lost captain she was. Otherwise, she might have to actually jump in.

"Relax, cupcake, it was a joke," Kirk said and turned his back to four cadets.

"Hey, farm boy," the same cadet said, pulling Kirk back around. "Maybe you can't count, but there are four of us and only one of you."

"Two," Nakai said, not moving an inch. "Should the need arise."

"Two against four still isn't fair," Kirk said. "Why don't you run along and get some more guys and then it'll be an even fight."

Jim then gently tapped the cadet's cheek and two seconds later, Nakai heard someone getting punched on the jaw. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kirk crumble onto the bar top. Uhura told the cadets to let him go, but neither Kirk or the burly cadets were having any of it. Suddenly, Kirk turned around and kicked the cadet square in the chest, sending him flying into a table. Immediately, the second one came at him but he swung a few punches and knocked the second cadet aside, pretty easily. Nakai didn't have to intervene until the third cadet grabbed Kirk from behind and the fourth began punching him when he couldn't resist. Nakai found that dishonorable more than anything else. It was like cheating, it was cowardice. And so she slowly got up and gently tapped the fourth cadet on the shoulder. He turned around and just as his eyes met her electric blue ones, she swung at him with pure Vulcan-Romulan force, which was twice that of a human. He fell to the ground immediately. Nakai tried to introduce herself as Captain, but the first two cadets came swinging at her as Uhura kept calling for them to stop. Instead, she ducked at the first one punched and he awkwardly fell forward, as the second came along. He tried to swing at her as well, but Nakai spun out of the way, hair and trench coat spinning almost gracefully with her, and she pushed him into the other cadets.

"Enough, cadets," she bellowed.

"You're a cadet too, lady," one of the men said. He tried to swing at her, but she grabbed his hand and pushed him back into place.

"I am Nakai Sekatha, former Captain of the U.S.S Hamilton, and if you have even an ounce of respect in that body you will stand down."

"You heard the Captain," a voice from behind said. "Outside, all of you. Now!"

"Yes, sir!"

Nakai adjusted her dress and coat, then turned around. Captain Pike advanced and looked down at Jim who was lying down on a table, blood pouring out of his nose.

"You okay, son?" he asked.

"She can yell really loud, did you know that?"

Nakai let out a breathy laugh and said, "Come on, Jim. Sit up."

Nakai held out a hand to Kirk and he took it, pulling himself up. Immediately, blood started running from his nose so he grabbed a few napkins and shoved them up his nose. The Vulcan went over to the bar and asked for a glass of water as well as a hand cloth or something of the sort. While Pike was getting drinks and information from the bartender, Nakai began cleaning off most of the blood off of Kirk's face even though he kept trying to move away.

"Jim, stop moving," she demanded.

"You don't need to clean my face," he said.

"I feel responsible. I didn't intervene early enough."

"It's definitely not your fault, I was asking for it."

Captain Pike then returned from the barman and sat down, placing drinks in front of everyone including himself. He stared at Kirk for a few moments before speaking up.

"Thank you, Sekatha, for stopping the fight. Although, you didn't need to enter it yourself," Pike said, glancing at the green blood seeping through small cuts on Nakai's knuckles.

"Won't do it again, sir."

Pike looked at Kirk.

"You know, I couldn't believe it when the bartender told me who you are."

"And who am I, Captain?"

"Your father's son."

Nakai's eyebrows furrowed. Pike knew Kirk's father?

"For my dissertation I was assigned the U.S.S Kelvin. Something I admired about your dad, he didn't believe in no-win scenarios."

"He sure learned his lesson," Kirk said.

U.S.S Kelvin. Kirk. The logical assumption was that Jim Kirk was the son of George Kirk, a man who, from what Nakai had read, had been captain of the Kelvin for a short period of time before he sacrificed himself for his crew. A pang of sadness ran through Nakai. It was like what she had been through, only George Kirk hadn't made it out alive.

"Well, it depends on how you define winning," Pike said. "You're here, aren't you?" He paused. "You know, that instinct to leap without looking, that was in his nature, too. And in my opinion, it's something Starfleet has lost. That's one of the reasons I'm happy we've found Captain Sekatha."

Nakai smiled gratefully at Pike and sipped her drink.

"Why are you talking to me, man?" Kirk asked, smiling exasperatedly.

"'Cause I looked up your file while Sekatha was cleaning you up. Your aptitude tests are off the charts. So what is it?" Pike asked. "You like being the only genius-level repeat offender in the midwest?"

"Maybe I love it," Jim replied.

Nakai rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

"So your dad dies. You can settle for a less-than-ordinary life. Or do you feel like you were made for something better? Something special?"

There was a few moments of tense silence before Pike let his true intentions come through.

"Enlist in Starfleet."

"Enlist?" Jim said in disbelief, then laughed. "You guys must be way down on your recruiting quota for the month."

"If you're half the man your father was, Starfleet could use you." Pika said. "You can be an officer in four years and have your own ship in eight." Jim sighed. "You understand what the Federation is, don't you? It's important. It's a peacekeeping and humanitarian armada-"

"Are we done?" Kirk interrupted.

"I'm done," Pike said and turned to leave. "Sekatha."

Nakai rose from her seat and began to leave, but just before she did, she turned back to Jim. If Pike wanted him to join Starfleet, giving him a heartfelt message about humanitarian work wasn't going to cut it.

"Riverside Shipyard. Shuttle for new recruits leaves tomorrow, 0800," Nakai said almost sternly. "Your father was Captain of a starship for 12 minutes... I dare you to do better."


End file.
